Article by BR Amelia
I adore older women. All that elegance, all that wisdom, and often there’s a good hint of cheekiness in there too, a bit of sparkle. They’re great fun to be around, but what I find myself doing whilst sitting around a table chatting to them is looking at their skin. Whilst not wrinkle free it’s still smooth, soft, cared for, and I find myself wondering what these women in their 70s and 80’s, my beautiful gran included, did back in the day that has resulted in them looking so spectacular today?
So I’ve done a little subtle grilling, and from basic pantry products to plain old common sense I’ve discovered beauty secrets from the past.
What’s the first step to good skin? Keeping it out of the sun as much as possible. Those cool vintage hats your nana might still have sitting in her cupboard weren’t just for show, they were for skin protection as well. I can’t think of a time I didn’t see my granny out in the sun for a prolonged amount of time without a sunhat or visor on, and that little bit of care over time has made for some seriously good skin today.
Want to lighten your hair naturally? In the past the ladies reached for a freshly picked lemon, then squeezed the juice out and ran it through their hair before heading outside for an hour or two to let the sun do its work (with a visor on to protect their skin of course!). Another use for lemon juice? Soak your fingernails in it to whiten and brighten them. It can also be used to fade freckles – and it works, I’ve tried it on my forearms on the freckles that come up on my body after too much * cough * sun exposure (shhhh, don’t tell Grandma!).
You know how so many people recommend giving yourself a good squirt of ice-cold water in the shower before you step out? Our nans have known this trick for years. It was how they closed their pores after cleansing back in the day. Not only does it work, but also it’s free! Or relatively inexpensive if you live somewhere that has to pay for water …
Another relatively inexpensive beauty tip from the past is to use Epsom salts. Yup, they’re not just for relaxing in - although less stress sure adds up to less wrinkles. You can also use Epsom salts as an exfoliator by simply grabbing a handful, dampening, then working them into your skin.
So how was makeup removed back in the day? How did they hydrate their faces? Makeup removal was often done with good old soap and water, but others used cold cream or, as I like to call it, that white stuff that you see plastered over the faces of glamorous women in old movies. Not only is cold cream great for removing makeup it also doubles as a hydrating mask for dry skin.
It wasn't just their faces that nana’s paid attention to, they looked after their hands as well. Hands are one of the first parts of your body to reveal your age, so smothering them in hand lotion on a regular basis was and still is a must! Dry shampoo is all the rage at the moment, but our grans were way ahead of the curve. That baby powder you see sitting in their babyless bathrooms? It’s a great way to refresh oily hair on the run. Simply sprinkle on and work in. Just be extra vigilant if you’ve dark hair though or you could end up looking like you’re going a patchy grey.
So during the writing of this article I asked my gran what had kept her so beautiful all these years, and after teasingly calling me a suck-up, she told me she always smiled and tried to think the best of people and to only say kind things. (At which point I reminded her that she’d just called me a suck-up, to which she replied with a smile, bless.)
So will you be applying any of these old-school tips and tricks to your beauty regime? Do you already? What has your grandma taught you? Get chatting!
Oh the memories of my nan. This is when pure coconut oil wasn't so expensive, my nan always used this oil. And her skin was always so soft and smooth.